Seeing the Light
by QueenC4
Summary: *WIP* AtS/HP X-Over Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene yet again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'. (Cordelia/Lucius Malfoy) Chapter Eight Posted!
1. Chapter One

Title: Seeing the Light (1/?)  
  
Author: QueenC  
  
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.  
  
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.  
  
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.  
  
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate Hogwarts.  
  
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!  
  
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!  
  
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  
  
******  
  
Lucius stared at the fire in the fireplace, watching silently as the flames licked at the log, burning the wood with each caress. Swirling his brandy around in his glass, he took a sip, his eyes never leaving the sight before him, while his mind pull up memories best left alone. He could hear his son in the other room, arguing passionately with someone. Probably Ron or Harry, or perhaps even Hermione, since the four of them were now working closely together.  
  
At first, Lucius had found it more than unsettling to have The Boy Who Lived and his two sidekicks constantly at the Manor. However, over the past five years, he'd grown accustomed to having them around. They were always working to stop another wizard from attempting to replace Voldemort and apparently enjoyed the seclusion of Malfoy Manor over the chaos at the Ministry.  
  
He smiled, the pride he felt for his son almost overwhelming him. Draco had come so far since his days at Hogwarts. He was no longer the spoiled brat he had once been, nor was he as distant and cruel as Lucius had tried to mold him to be during his childhood.  
  
Sighing, the blonde man allowed the guilt to wash over him. He deserved that, and much more. The man he had been, the things he had done...he should be in Azkeban right now, having Dementors sucking out his soul bit by bit. He didn't deserve the second chance that Draco and everyone else had given him.  
  
He was a monster, plain and simple.  
  
It was at times like this, when his mind began pulling up images of the people he'd tortured and killed in the name of the Dark Lord, when he could hear their screams and taste their tears, that he almost wished he were dead. Or, at the very least back in Los Angeles, living the blissfully ignorant existence of the amnesiac, Lucius.  
  
Almost immediately, he thought of Cordelia, wondered how she was doing. Had she met some one, perhaps settled down and had a few children? Somehow, he had a hard time picturing the brunette Seer as a mother. Yet, if anyone was capable of surprising him, it would certainly be Cordelia Chase.  
  
Closing his eyes, he could see her in his mind. Standing in her bedroom, a sad smile on her face, her hazel eyes shining with tears he somehow knew she wouldn't let fall. She hadn't pressed him to stay, knowing that he couldn't and wouldn't, even if she had asked. Instead, she'd wished him well and watched as he'd walked away.  
  
He was such an idiot.  
  
Why had he left her? Granted, he knew it was the right thing to do. She deserved someone who could look at himself in the mirror, someone who hadn't spent most of his life raping and killing innocent people. He had also known that, in order to begin to make amends for his past he had to return to the wizarding world and own up to what he had done. But, that didn't make it hurt any less. Snorting, he downed the rest of his drink. God, when had he become so pathetic? Sitting in a darkened room, staring at a fire, and brooding over a love that he never truly had to begin with. He was worse than Snape, and that was saying a lot.  
  
Sighing, he stood up, stretching his muscles. It was getting late and he wanted to check in on Draco's progress with catching their latest target, Peter Pettigrew. Somehow, the man had survived the final battle, disappearing in the chaos following Voldemort's defeat. And, apparently he had been spotted recently outside of Hogsmeade, bragging to some people how he was going to take up where the Dark Lord had left off.  
  
Shaking his head, he exited the sitting room and crossed the hallway to the room that Draco and the others used for their brainstorming. Opening the door, he entered, watching silently as his son and Ron faced off, apparently at odds yet again.  
  
Lucius chuckled softly, his blue-grey eyes sweeping over the rest of the room. Papers were lying about in disarray, along with various maps and books. A potion set was in the far corner, something quietly simmering in the cauldron. Hermione and Harry were both sitting on the couch, taking turns speaking quietly to each other and glaring at their friends.  
  
Shaking his head, he leaned against the wall, watching with amusement as Ron's face slowly began turning as red as his hair.  
  
"Oi, listen here Malfoy! We are *not* going to take the chance that he can hurt someone by waiting around for his next move! We're going to act now, and if you don't like that you can sod off!" the man growled.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes, a look of annoyance crossing his face. "Weasel, why don't you do us all a favor and not saying anything for a while? Perhaps if you weren't so busy shrieking like a woman, you would have heard me the first *four* times I said that we would go after him. I just think we should ask around some more before apparating about and running the risk of getting ourselves killed," he said slowly, as if speaking to a small child.  
  
Ron narrowed his eyes, pulling himself up to his full height. While he was still a good two inches shorter than Draco, who had grown to six foot four, he was definitely larger and therefore could appear quite intimidating when he chose to.  
  
However, Lucius noted with pride that Draco looked more amused than frightened.  
  
Before anything more could be said, Harry and Hermione stepped in between the two. The Boy Who Lived turned to his friend while the young woman focused her attention on Draco.  
  
"Really, Draco, why do you antagonize him so?" she asked quietly. "You know how he gets."  
  
Draco smirked at her. "Because he's so easy to upset," he replied honestly. "It's not my fault that he can't stop complaining and eating long enough to listen."  
  
Hermione sighed, a small smile filling her face. Catching herself, she quickly frowned. "Well, stop it. We have a lot of work to do before we can even consider going after Pettigrew. We need to focus, not squabble like children."  
  
Draco scowled at her, a slight pout forming. "Weasel was acting like the child, not me," he said petulantly.  
  
Lucius chuckled, shaking his head. "Really, Draco. I haven't seen you act like that since you were a small boy," he chided gently.  
  
Hermione laughed, finally noticing Lucius standing there. "You haven't seen him lose at a game of chess, then," she replied. Leaving Draco sulking, she approached Lucius, a smile on her face. "Mr. Malfoy, I was wondering if you could assist me. See, I've narrowed down Peter Pettigrew's possible location to three areas. Do you think you could perhaps look at my notes and see if you can narrow it down some?"  
  
The man nodded. "I'd be more than happy to," he responded.  
  
Grinning, she turned toward the table where her parchments were. "Wonderful!"  
  
Suddenly, a noise erupted from the hallway, drowning out the rest of her sentence. Frowning, Lucius turned toward the door just as it opened. Gasping, he grabbed the wall to keep from falling over.  
  
Cordelia Chase was standing there, an unreadable expression on her face.  
  
Looking around the room, the Seer finally turned toward Lucius. Slowly, a brilliant smile crossed her face. "Hey! So, do you think you could take a break from whatever you're doing in here and tell those half-naked creatures where to put my stuff? Oh, and speaking of which, what's up with the talking in the third person? Is that some servant thing I'm going to have to get used to? Because, if so, I can already tell you that's going to get *really* annoying."  
  
No one moved, they were all too busy staring at her in complete shock.  
  
Raising an eyebrow, she commented, "You know, it's a good thing I wasn't that Pettigrew guy you all are after. If so, I have a feeling you'd be in trouble." Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "Hello, people! Snap out of it!" Finally Hermione rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times, then managed a weak, "You...you're really here."  
  
Cordelia gave the young woman a strange look. "And you're supposed to be the smart one of the group? State the obvious much?" she replied.  
  
Lucius swallowed, trying to remember to breathe. Taking a step forward, he stopped a few feet away from her. Eyes wide, he stared at the woman who had haunted his dreams for the past five years. "Cordelia?" he asked, his voice a harsh whisper. "Is that really you?"  
  
Cordelia gave him an annoyed look. "Yes! God, what is wrong with you people? So I'm here, big deal! Can we *please* do something about my stuff?" she responded in an exasperated tone.  
  
As if snapping out of it, Draco nodded. "I'll tell them to place it in the guest room," he said quietly.  
  
"Rooms," she corrected, still looking at Lucius.  
  
Draco frowned. "Excuse me?" he asked.  
  
Tearing her gaze from her former lover, she looked at his full grown son. "Rooms, plural. As in more than one."  
  
"There are other people here as well?" the young man replied.  
  
Before she could answer, a small voice rang through the room. "Momma, tell Bella that she's not allowed to feed me to the snake in the painting!"  
  
As a group, everyone turned their attention to the sound, watching as a small boy stomped into the room, coming to stand beside Cordelia. Looking around, his frown turned to slight fear and he hid his face against the woman's leg.  
  
Almost instantly, another voice sounded out. This once matched a little girl, who came to stand on the other side of Cordelia. "Mommy, tell Korben he isn't allowed to throw me in the lake so the monster can get me!" she stated.  
  
As if realizing that she wasn't alone with just her mother and her brother, the girl turned toward the room. However, instead of hiding her face like the boy did, she crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at the room.  
  
Ron gulped, looking from the half-hidden face of the little boy to the dark scowl of the little girl. Gasping, he shook his head. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed. "I'd know that look from anywhere. Those kids are Malfoys!"  
  
Cordelia sighed, smiling weakly at Lucius. "Surprise!"  
  
******  
  
A/N: Okay, so I know this part was short. Sorry about that, but I really think this was the best place to cut it off. And, I know that some of you may think that the idea of an HP character suddenly having a kid to deal with is overdone. I agree. However, I'm going to try to make this story about Cordelia and Lucius. The kids are just adorable, precocious dressing on the side.  
  
Now, I've done my part and written the fic. Time for you to do your part and review it! Please? *g* 


	2. Chapter Two

Title: Seeing the Light (2/?)  
  
Author: QueenC  
  
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.  
  
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.  
  
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.  
  
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate Hogwarts.  
  
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!  
  
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!  
  
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  
  
******  
  
For a good minute, no one said a word. They were all too busy trying to comprehend what was happening, Lucius especially. Reminding himself he needed to breathe, he looked from Cordelia to the two children while his mind screamed for him to *do* something. Slowly, everyone else began to come around.  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes, glaring at the woman who had occupied his father's thoughts for the past five years. All of the resentment that he felt toward her came rushing to the surface and it took everything he had within him not to pull out his wand and toss an Unforgivable or two in her direction. Instead, he clenched his fists and spat, "That isn't possible."  
  
Harry, meanwhile, was removing his glasses and placing them back on his face, as if trying to determine what he was seeing was real. Staring at the two small children, he shook his head. "I don't believe it," he whispered. "How did the Ministry not know about them? They were supposed to be keeping an eye on Los Angeles for months after we left."  
  
Hermione shook her head, still a bit sore at the insult Cordelia had thrown at her. "It does seem rather odd, doesn't it? One would think, if they were watching Angel Investigations, they would have noticed if Cordelia were pregnant," she murmured.  
  
Cordelia shot the woman a dark look. "Hey! Standing right here, you know. And, they did know about it. I just wasn't honest about who the father was," she said, giving Lucius an apologetic look.  
  
Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times, scarcely able to tear his eyes away from the little girl. Save the brown hair, she looked so much like Draco it was downright frightening. Finally, he managed a weak, "Then why come clean now?"  
  
"Ron!" Hermione hissed, scowling at her redheaded friend.  
  
Cordelia chuckled. "No, it's okay. I hadn't planned on the truth ever coming out, actually. But then, some things happened and the choice was out of my hands," she said vaguely.  
  
Lucius finally found his voice, his tone almost awestruck. "Are you certain? That they are..." He trailed off, not wanting to anger her by questioning her claims. However, he also *had* to know the truth.  
  
Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Yours?" she asked. Chuckling softly, she nodded. "Yes. First of all, it isn't like I've been...close with many guys. And second...well, just trust me Lucius. They're your children."  
  
Draco snorted. "Trust you? Why in the name of Merlin should we trust you?" he sneered, still unwilling to accept what he was hearing. He was Lucius son! His *only* son. The idea of suddenly having a half-brother and sister was not an option.  
  
Before Cordelia could respond, the little boy pulled his head away from his mother's leg and gave Draco a dark look. "Don't talk to my momma that way!" he growled.  
  
Cordelia sighed. "Korben, honey, it's okay."  
  
This time, it was the little girl who spoke up. Shaking her head, she also gave Draco a glare. "No, it's not! He's being mean," she insisted.  
  
Upset at having his sister try and out do him, Korben turned his attention to her. "You're the mean one, Bella!" he stated fiercely.  
  
Arabella looked at her twin brother. "You take that back!" she exclaimed, her voice becoming shrill.  
  
"No!" he replied. "You *are* mean!"  
  
Cordelia sighed heavily, closing her eyes. "Here we go," she murmured, taking a step away from her children.  
  
Lucius frowned, about to ask why she wasn't preventing the obvious fight that was about to break out between the children, when he received an answer.  
  
Narrowing her eyes, Bella's arm shot out, her hand aimed at her brother. For a moment, everyone thought she was going to slap him. Then, something unbelievable happened.  
  
Taking off like a rocket, Korben shot into the air, nearly colliding with the chandelier. Pressing his hands against the ceiling, he scowled down at his sister. "Stop it!" he exclaimed. Looking at Cordelia, he whined, "Momma! Bella won't put me down!"  
  
Quickly, everyone looked from the floating little boy to the little girl. However, as far as they could see, she was merely standing there, a very Malfoy smirk on her face. She had her hand raised and was staring at her brother with intense concentration.  
  
Gasping, Hermione audibly stated what they all were realizing. "She's the one doing it!"  
  
Cordelia cleared her throat, giving her daughter a stern look. "Bella, put your brother down before he beams you to the roof, or whatever," she said firmly.  
  
Ron's forehead crinkled in confusion. "Beams? What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked.  
  
Harry bit his lip. "I think she means apparate. But, that isn't possible, is it? To apparate someone else with merely your mind?" he questioned to no one in particular.  
  
Hermione slowly shook her head. "I've certainly never heard of it before," she replied.  
  
Harry turned toward Draco, only to find that the former prince of Slytherin looked as though he were going to pass out at any moment. Licking his lips, the blonde man whispered, "I don't believe it. They're incredible. Their power..."  
  
Lucius merely nodded silently with his son's statement. If there was any doubt in his mind that these children were his, it had vanished. Between their ice blue eyes with specks of silver, to their facial expressions and demeanor, to their unbelievable magical abilities, they were quite obviously Malfoy's.  
  
Cordelia narrowed her eyes, becoming irritated with her daughter's blatant disregard for rules. In a voice that left no room for argument, she stated, "Arabella Alana Chase, you put your brother down right this minute!"  
  
The little girl sighed, doing as she was told. Slowly, Korben floated down until his feet were touching the ground.  
  
His face set in a scowl, he spun toward his sister, his hand raised. "You're a brat!" he cried.  
  
Bella gasped, her eyes widening as the unseen power slammed into her. Then, she was gone.  
  
Cordelia narrowed her eyes, glaring at her son. "Korben Francis, you have exactly *three* seconds to bring her back. One. Two."  
  
Korben quickly waved his hand, and Bella appeared in the same spot she'd just been in. Except now she was soaking wet, with small leaves littered about her hair.  
  
Stomping her foot, she glared at her brother. Then, she closed her eyes and the water and leaves disappeared. Opening them again, she gazed at her mother. "He sent me to the lake, momma!" she whined.  
  
The brunette Seer sighed, looking at Lucius. "Sorry about this. Normally they're well behaved. I think it has something to do with the magic around here. They act the same way when they're in Sunnydale," she apologized. Chuckling, she added, "So, anymore questions about who's kids they are?"  
  
No one said a word.  
  
******  
  
Cordelia smiled down at her children, who were snuggled close together in the enormous bed Lucius had ordered the house elves to prepare. Leaning over, she kissed Bella on the forehead, then Korben. "You two have a nice nap. I'll be downstairs when you wake up," she said softly.  
  
Standing up, she turned to the door, smiling at the picture of Lucius standing there, a wistful expression on his face. Walking toward him, she shooed him into the hallway, then shut the door quietly.  
  
"Okay. So, the kids have been fed, cleaned up, and are now taking a nap. I guess it's time I tell everyone what I'm doing here, huh?" she exclaimed.  
  
Lucius nodded, staring at her. He still couldn't believe this was happening. Cordelia was here. She had two children.  
  
And he was their father.  
  
Swallowing, he motioned toward the staircase. "I believe the others settled in the sitting room to have some tea and no doubt guess on your being here," he said dryly.  
  
Chuckling, the Seer followed him down the stairs, every so often glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. Finally, as they neared the doors to the sitting room, she turned to face him. "Look, about me just showing up like that. I'm sorry. I would have called, but hey! No phones. And, the whole owl thing kinda freaked me out. Plus, telling you about the twins was something I needed to do face to face. And...well, there are some other things you need to know, too. But that can wait for everyone."  
  
Lucius nodded. "I feel I must also apologize for my initial reaction to you and the children. I normally am much more composed," he replied evenly.  
  
Cordelia snorted, rolling her eyes. "Please. You're talking to a demonic Seer who gave birth to kids that can levitate and apparate people at will. Normal stopped being in my vocabulary a *long* time ago, Lucius. And, the way I see it, you did fine. If it had been me in that situation, there would have been a lot more yelling and fainting involved," she said.  
  
Lucius smiled, enjoying listening to her unique way of saying things. "I don't believe I realized how much I truly missed you until I saw you again," he suddenly whispered. Then, before he could think about what he was doing, he was running his hand along the side of her face.  
  
Giving him a small smile, she gently took his hand in hers and squeezed it softly. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but now isn't the time for this. We'll have plenty of time to talk privately once I've explained a few things to everyone," she stated.  
  
Nodding, he dropped his hand. "Very well." Looking at the closed doors, he took a deep breath. "Let's get on with it, shall we?"  
  
******  
  
While Cordelia and Lucius were overseeing the feeding and preparation of naps of the twins, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had retreated to a corner of the sitting room, whispering excitedly amongst themselves. Draco, meanwhile, had disappeared outside, claiming the need for fresh air.  
  
Ron shook his head, watching as the blonde stormed out the front doors, his face set in a scowl. "Git's probably so jealous he can't stand it," he commented. "Going from only child to oldest of three in one day. Imagine he's wondering what's going to happen to his precious Malfoy Millions."  
  
Hermione gave the redhead a dark look. "Ronald Weasley, you stop that this instant! Imagine how you would feel, to suddenly find out you had a brother and sister you didn't even know about," she exclaimed.  
  
Ron merely grinned at her. "Mione, I've already got five brothers and a sister. Two more would hardly make a difference," he responded cheekily.  
  
Harry spoke up, trying to prevent the verbal battle that was about to occur. "Well, I think it would be wonderful. If I were Draco, I would be thrilled at the idea of helping to train two powerful children. Just think of all the good they could do when they got older," he stated.  
  
"Yeah, or all the evil. They *are* Malfoy's, Harry. And, while Draco and his father may have turned a new leaf, they're entire ancestry is full of Dark Magic. You ask me, those kids don't stand a chance. Cordelia would be smart to get them out of here while she still can," Ron muttered.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, it's a lucky thing no one is asking for your opinion, Ron. I agree with Harry. And personally, I think they're adorable," she stated, smiling in a purely female way. Thoughts of her own children, should she ever meet someone, settle down, and have any, entered her mind. Would they be able to do magic? Shaking her head, she focused back in the here and now.  
  
Harry frowned, something suddenly occurring to him. "Hey, I've got a question. Do you all remember what Cordelia said when she first arrived? Something about Wormtail..."  
  
Hermione thought for a moment, then gasped. "You're right, Harry! She *did* say something about him!" she exclaimed. Ron frowned in confusion. "But how would she know about him?" he wondered.  
  
Harry slowly smiled, an idea coming to mind. "I think I know," he said slowly. "She must have had a vision. That's why she's here!"  
  
Cordelia laughed, walking into the room. "Very good, Harry. You know, for a while there I was starting to get worried that no one would figure it out," she stated.  
  
Lucius chuckled at the shocked and embarrassed faces of the three Aurors. Frowning, he paused on his way to his chair. "Where's Draco?" he questioned.  
  
Hermione bit her lip, exchanging worried glances with her friends. Finally, she looked back at Lucius. "He went for a walk," she said, hoping she hadn't just gotten the blonde in trouble for leaving when they had yet to hear Cordelia's story.  
  
Lucius nodded evenly. Smiling at Cordelia, he murmured, "If you'll excuse me, I'll go find my son." Then, with his cloak billowing behind him, he exited the room.  
  
Cordelia raised an eyebrow, watching him leave. Looking back at the Golden Trio, she laughed. "So, who wants to fill me in on the last five years?" she asked, dropping into one of the chairs.  
  
******  
  
Draco squinted at the sunlight in his eyes, his breathing coming in sharp gasps as he pointed his broom higher toward the sky. Ignoring the part of him that wanted desperately to keep going, away from the Manor, away from the emotions, away from everything, he pulled sharply to the right, then down, aiming directly for the ground.  
  
Waiting until he'd gotten close enough that he could almost touch the blades of grass, he straightened back out and continued zooming along, the wind blowing his robes into the air. He tried to focus on his flying, to clear his mind of his conflicting emotions. However, it was useless. No matter what he did, he could still see the look of awe on his father's face when those two brats had conducted their magic show earlier.  
  
Scowling, he shook his head. There wasn't one single time in his life that he could ever remember Lucius looking at him like that. No, his entire childhood was full of memories of 'try harder', 'do better', 'be worthy of the Malfoy name'. No matter *what* he'd done it hadn't been good enough for that man. And now, just when he was starting to feel as though Lucius was taking notice in his accomplishments, *she* had to show up.  
  
He hated Cordelia Chase.  
  
He tried not to. It wasn't like he wanted to or anything. After all, hating someone for no good reason was something the old Draco would do. However, he couldn't help it. He really, truly hated that woman. Not only had she seen a side of his father that he never would, but now her two mudblood brats were getting the recognition that he deserved.  
  
Blinking furiously, he fought back the tears that suddenly blurred his vision. He knew he was being petty. He should be happy for his father. The woman that he loved was here, and now they could finally be together. But, Draco just couldn't do it. No matter how much he wanted to say he had grown up since his years at Hogwarts, no matter how badly he wanted to claim to be a new and improved Draco Malfoy, he just couldn't do it.  
  
Sighing, he flew himself higher in the air, gazing at the wide stretch of land underneath him. Idly, he wondered if crashing into the ground and breaking a few bones would get Lucius' attention.  
  
Frowning, he shook his head. What was the matter with him? Had he really slipped that far into his old self that he was entertaining thoughts of injury for attention?  
  
Hovering in the air, he weighed his choices. He could swallow his anger and bitterness and go back to the Manor. Pretend to be happy for his father and feign interest in his new siblings. Or, he could keep flying, see how far he made it before his arms and legs gave out and he was forced to land. Perhaps then he could apparate to the Ministry and request an assignment far away from here.  
  
Shaking his head, he once more berated himself. He was Draco Malfoy! He was *not* going to run away from his own home like a coward. No, instead he would do what he did best.  
  
He would stay and fight for what was rightfully his.  
  
****** 


	3. Chapter Three

Title: Seeing the Light (3/?)  
  
Author: QueenC  
  
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.  
  
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.  
  
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.  
  
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.  
  
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!  
  
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!  
  
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  
  
******  
  
Lucius stormed out the front doors, anger in his every step. How dare his son run off like this! Of all the times for Draco to revert to his selfish nature, now was not acceptable.  
  
Frowning, the man paused at the walkway that led up to the house. Looking around, he tried to decide which way to go. To the left was the lake, shining brightly with the reflection of the afternoon sun. Beyond that were Narcissa's beloved gardens, virtually abandoned since her death. To the right were the stables, where the horses and carriages sat, waiting to be used. Just past those were acres of fields which were reserved for horseback riding, impromptu games of Quidditch, and flying practice.  
  
Looking toward the sky, Lucius saw a black speck that was slowly making its way to the open fields. Ah. So his son had gone flying. He should have known. That had always been Draco's escape from the world. Just him, a broom, and the wind in his hair.  
  
Snorting, Lucius turned to the right and began making his way toward his son. However, with each step he took, he felt his anger subsiding, slowly being replaced with mild irritation and a healthy dose of guilt. Here he was, thinking only of Cordelia and the twins, when it was quite obvious that his oldest son was having serious issues about the unexpected additions to the Malfoy line.  
  
By the time he reached the field, Draco was only twenty feet off the ground. Stopping, he watched as his son spun in the air, looking as though he were going a graceful ballet to which only he could hear the music.  
  
It never failed to amaze Lucius how graceful Draco was on a broom. Neither he nor Narcissa had ever been remarkable fliers, and he'd often wondered where the boy had gotten his skills from.  
  
Of course, he'd never told Draco how impressed he was.  
  
Frowning, he wondered where that thought had come from. So what if he didn't openly praise his son? Surely the boy, no *man*, knew that Lucius was proud of him, didn't he?  
  
Before he could continue that line of thought any further, Draco finally landed a few feet away. Staring at his father, the young man looked almost uncertain of himself. After a few seconds though, his usual mask of indifference appeared.  
  
"I take it Cordelia is ready to explain her being here?" he asked neutrally, forcing himself to keep the sneer out of his voice when he said her name.  
  
Lucius nodded, an unreadable expression on his face. After a few seconds, he replied, "Yes. If you are quite finished with your sudden interest in testing out your old broom, we'll return inside." He let the unspoken statement of his irritation hang in the air.  
  
Draco sighed, tipping his head. "Of course, father," he murmured. Holding his broom tightly, he followed behind Lucius as the two men headed back to the house. Through the entire walk, Lucius warred with himself over his recent discovery of his less than stellar parenting skills. He knew that his relationship with Draco was turbulent at best. During the boy's childhood, he'd only gotten involved when absolutely necessary, opting to leave the actual rearing to Narcissa. When Draco became old enough to enter Hogwarts, he had taken a mild interest, if only to make certain that the boy lived up to the Malfoy name.  
  
However, in Draco's seventh year, all of that changed.  
  
In a rare exhibit of emotion, Draco had refused to obey an order that Lucius had given him during Christmas break. The order had come directly from Voldemort, and had been simple. Lead Harry, alone, to the Forbidden Forest on a certain date and time.  
  
To both he and Narcissa's shock, Draco chose that moment to become a typical, stubborn teenager and had told Lucius to his face that, if Voldemort wanted Harry dead, he could lead him away from Hogwarts himself. He had then proceeded to denounce the Dark Lord, claiming that he would *not* be taking the Mark after graduation, and nothing anyone said or did would change his mind.  
  
To say that the remainder of Christmas break had been a dark time at Malfoy Manor would be an understatement. Lucius had been livid. First, he'd tried coercing his son, then once he realized that wasn't working, he'd began threatening him. While he'd never physically laid a hand on him, he had certainly used every other bit of arsenal he had against the boy, even going to so far as to vow he'd disown him.  
  
Still, Draco was not to be swayed.  
  
Shaking his head, Lucius pulled himself out of his thoughts. If he continued along that path, he would be forced to re-live the night that Narcissa died and his entire world changed. And that was something he wasn't willing to do at the moment.  
  
Instead, he stopped just short of the walkway to the main house and turned to his son. Draco halted suddenly, his eyes widening slightly at this change in events. Looking him up and down, Lucius finally noticed the man that his child had become.  
  
Peering into Draco's eyes, he noticed the anguish that his son was so obviously trying to hide. Finally, he decided that now was as good a time to start parenting as ever. Clearing his throat, he softly said, "Draco, I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you. However, I want you to understand that, regardless of what may happen, you are still my son. While you may not be my only son, you are certainly the oldest. You are my legacy to the world, as well as my heir. And..."  
  
Here he paused, searching for the right words. After a second, he managed, "I realize I may not say it, but I *am* proud of you, of the man you have become. Against all odds you have overcome severe obstacles, one of the larger ones being the beliefs I instilled upon you. You are no longer the son that I wished you to be when you were born, and for that I am extremely pleased and grateful. Please keep that in mind when conducting yourself around Cordelia and the children." Then, he turned around and entered the house.  
  
Draco watched in silent shock as his father walked away. He had waited his entire life to hear those words. And now that Lucius had said them, he couldn't help but feel like an ass for making his earlier plans to send Cordelia packing. His father was proud of him, did care for him, and nothing would change that.  
  
Now having a new outlook on the situation at hand, he swallowed down the lump of guilt and self-loathing that had formed in his throat and headed into the house.  
  
******  
  
"So then Ron looks at the guy and says 'I don't know who this Weasley fellow is, but if I see him, you'll be the first to know, mate'. Then, he turned around and practically *ran* from the pub!" Harry exclaimed, laughing at memory.  
  
Ron scowled at his friend, then looked at an amused Cordelia. "The git was huge! Like Hagrid huge! And he was looking to pound me for something one of my brother's did years ago! What was I supposed to do? Pull out my wand and challenge him to a duel? He would have beaten me to death with it!" he tried explaining, only earning himself more laughter from the others. Sighing, he slumped back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Like any of you would have done any different," he muttered.  
  
Cordelia chuckled, nodding her head. "Hey, I've been there. Of course, rather than running like a scared kid, I usually try to talk my way out. If that doesn't work, *then* I run as fast as I can to the nearest exit," she stated.  
  
Hermione gave her a doubtful look, the smile never faltering. "Somehow I can't picture you running from or trying to avoid anything, Cordelia. Why, you even faced down Draco when he tried to curse you," she commented softly.  
  
Cordelia shrugged. "Well, that's because I didn't know what he was doing," she admitted. Shaking her head, she continued. "There was this one time, in high school, when this idiot thought that I was one of the Slayers. So, he put me and Buffy, the *actual* Slayer, in the woods, and then let a bunch of vampires and demons try and kill us. He called it Slayerfest, I think. But anyway. By the end of the night, I was tired, scared to death, and my designer dress was *completely* ruined. And then, Buffy gets knocked out and I'm facing off with this ugly vamp with some serious hygiene issues, who apparently thinks he's the equivalent of the undead Jesse James. I know I can't defend myself. And there's no where for me to run to. So, I do the only thing I can."  
  
"Scream bloody murder?" Ron quipped, his eyes wide and he listened to her story. Seeing the glares Harry and Hermione shot at him, he shrugged. "What? That's what I would have done if I were defenseless against a vampire."  
  
Cordelia shook her head. "Not usually a good idea. They tend to enjoy the whole fear vibe. No, *I* look him in the eye, and admit to being the Slayer. I told him something to the effect of 'Buffy's second best compared to me. You thought she could kick your ass? Wait and see what *I* can do'. Of course, what I actually said sounded better, but anyway. The point is, he took one look at me, and ran from the room," she stated.  
  
Harry gasped. "Really?" he asked in awe.  
  
Cordelia nodded. "Yep. But, don't go getting any ideas. I was lucky that time. If he'd had any common sense he would have just killed me right then and there," she replied.  
  
Hermione sighed. "Wow. That is so amazing. You've seen so much," she breathed.  
  
The Seer shrugged. "Not any more than you three have. From what Wesley tells me, you guys have led some action packed lives yourselves."  
  
"I feel I must ask. How does Wesley know anything about what goes on in the wizarding world?" a voice asked from the doorway. "From what I remember, he was most out of his element dealing with my...situation."  
  
Turning her head, Cordelia smiled at Lucius as he entered the room. "Well, that's because he wasn't sure what to think of you. And he had to wait for the book store to finally get in his order of the books he needed. But, Wes isn't your typical Muggle. He was once a Watcher, of an active Slayer in fact," she explained.  
  
Lucius nodded, the term sounding vaguely familiar to him. There was apparently an entire Counsel of Watchers, although they tended to avoid the wizarding world as much as possible. Sitting down in his chair, he watched as Draco entered the room.  
  
Looking around, Draco finally moved to the couch, sitting down beside Hermione. Seeing the curious glance she shot his way, he gave her a small, reassuring smile. Then, he turned his attention to Cordelia. "I apologize for keeping you waiting," he said politely, refusing to elaborate any further.  
  
Cordelia nodded, gracefully accepting his apology. "It's fine. I was just trading stories with the others." Clapping her hands, she stood up, moving to the fireplace. Facing the room, she smiled. "Okay, so I guess I should make with the explaining." Taking a deep breath, she tried to decide where to start. After a moment, she laughed. "All right. Let's see. Well, first, you all know that I'm a Seer for the PTB. Angel was my Champion, the one who was supposed to receive my visions."  
  
"Was?" Hermione echoed, growing pale. "He wasn't..."  
  
Cordelia quickly shook her head. "Dusted? No. In fact, exactly the opposite. He became human, as a reward from the PTB. He's living as normal of a life as he can, raising Connor and enjoying the sunshine without having to worry about bursting into flames. Of course, needless to say, after he became human, Angel Investigations closed down," she stated.  
  
"Everyone went their own ways. Wesley moved to Cleveland with Faith, one of the Slayer's, and they're protecting the Hellmouth there."  
  
Frowning, Hermione interrupted, her voice soft. "What do you mean *one* of the Slayers? There is only one. That's how it works, right?" she asked.  
  
Harry nodded, also giving Cordelia a puzzled look. "Mione's right. I remember Professor Lupin telling us about Slayers in our third year. He said there was one girl in all the world..."  
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Who shall stand alone against the forces of darkness. Blah, blah, blah. Yeah, I know the deal, okay? Except, Buffy was different. She made friends, and when she drowned one of her friends brought her back. But, since she'd technically been dead..."  
  
Ron gasped, his eyes widening. "Another Slayer got made!" he exclaimed.  
  
Cordelia nodded. "Yep. Except the term is 'called'. So, now there are two Slayers. Buffy and Faith. And, when Faith got released from prison...long story, *don't* ask, she and Wes went off to keep the world safe. Fred and Gunn got married a month ago and are currently on their honeymoon in Europe. And Lorne headed to Las Vegas. That just left me." Here she paused, taking a sip of her drink which she was holding tightly in her hands as she paced back and forth in front of everyone.  
  
"Originally, I'd planned on just taking it easy. I'd saved up enough money to be able to live comfortably for a few years, and I just wanted to raise my kids and help Angel with Connor. Unfortunately, while Angel gets to retire, I, apparently, don't."  
  
Standing still, she focused her gaze on Lucius. "I had a vision. And it was for you. *All* of you." Forcing a small smile, she exclaimed, "So I'm now officially a Seer for everyone in this room. Which reminds me. I know where that Pettigrew guy is, if anyone's interested."  
  
******  
  
Arabella silently sat up, her eyes locked on her brother. Making sure that he was actually asleep, she began to ease her way out of bed, biting her lip as she tried not to make any sound.  
  
Once her feet were on the floor, she tiptoed barefoot across the room. Glancing at her shoes, which were lying by the closet door, she debated on whether or not to put them on. Realizing that they would make too much noise, she silently opened the door and slipped out of the room.  
  
Standing in the hallway, she looked around with wide eyed wonder. Everything was so *big*! Shaking her head, she finally turned to the right, deciding that direction was as good as any other.  
  
Giggling softly, she moved stealthily down the corridor, peering with wonder at the various paintings. She knew she was supposed to be in bed taking a nap, but she was far too excited to sleep. And she didn't feel like finding her mom and trying to explain it to her, because she just wouldn't get it. No, her mom would only tell her to go back upstairs and *try* to go to sleep. So, rather than be forced to lie in a room and listen to her bratty brother snore, she decided to go exploring.  
  
She just hoped she didn't get lost.  
  
Tiptoeing down the hallway, she stopped in front of a portrait of a pretty little girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Tilting her head to the side, Bella studied the strange clothing the girl was wearing. A big dress with lots of ruffles and bows. Crinkling her nose, she shook her head, deciding she wouldn't want to wear a dress like that at all.  
  
Suddenly, the girl in the painting frowned, then her lower lip began to stick out. "Don't look at me like that!" she ordered in a bossy tone. "And it isn't polite to stare."  
  
Bella gasped, taking a step back. Looking around, she slowly inched forward until she was close enough to touch the painting. "You can see me?" she whispered in disbelief.  
  
The blonde girl rolled her eyes. "Well of *course* I can see you. Why wouldn't I be able to?" she asked in exasperation. "I'm not blind, you know."  
  
Bella chose not to respond to that, instead shrugging and accepting that pictures here were very strange. "Is your dress itchy? It doesn't look very comfortable," she finally commented.  
  
The painting scowled. "I'll have you know that this dress is one of a kind!" she screeched. "My mother had it made especially for me for my eight birthday party!"  
  
Bella nodded quickly, wanting to quiet the loud girl. "Okay. Sorry. It's a pretty dress." Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. It was during that gesture that she paused, seeing something move out of the corner of her eye.  
  
Turning her head toward the end of the hallway, she frowned. "Hello?" she called softly. "Is somebody there?"  
  
The little girl in the painting gasped, her eyes growing wide. "Stop that!" she whispered fiercely. "You shouldn't be here. Go away!" Her tone went from bossy to desperate as fear filled her voice. "Go! Now! Run!"  
  
Bella waved her hand at her, mimicking a move Cordelia did when she wanted someone to be quiet. Then, she began silently making her way toward the end of the corridor.  
  
Just as she turned the corner, she heard the blonde girl whisper, "You can't find it, you know. No one can find the shadow. It has to find you."  
  
Bella deliberately ignored her, staring closely at the darkness that covered the majority of this area of the hallway. Squinting, she saw a faint light in the corner and made her way toward it. Once she got closer, she realized it was a door that had been left open.  
  
Walking up to it, she stepped inside and felt her hand along the wall, wondering where the light switch was. Not feeling anything, she finally peered up at the candle that was resting on a shelf a few feet above her head. Looking around, she didn't see anything she could step on to grab it.  
  
Finally, she held out her hand and concentrated, watching with detachment as the candle, along with its holder, lifted in the air and floated down to her. Grasping it tightly, she smiled at it.  
  
"We won't tell mommy that I did that," she whispered. Then, holding the light in front of her, she looked around. As the light began pushing back the darkness, she noticed that there was a large flight of stairs right in front of her that seemed to be going down even further into the castle.  
  
Biting her lip, she tried to decide what to do. Glancing over her shoulder at the hallway she'd just come from, she debated on going back to bed. If she turned around right now, maybe her mom wouldn't know she'd been out exploring.  
  
However, before she could decide, she heard a raspy voice from the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Help me, Bella."  
  
Frowning, she listened again. This time, she heard it a little louder. "Help me! Please!" Gasping, she began moving down the stairs, her heart hammering in her chest. That was her brother's voice!  
  
Moving so quickly that she almost stumbled a few times, she finally got to the bottom. However, once she was down there, she stopped, the tiniest bit of fear taking hold of her.  
  
Korben wasn't anywhere to be seen.  
  
Moving the candle first to the right, then to the left, she tried to see if he had somehow crawled away from the stairs. Seeing something move to the side of her, just inside the shadows, she spun in that direction.  
  
"Korben?" she whispered, taking a step toward the person. However, before she could move any further, a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Not knowing what else to do, Bella did the only thing that she could think of, the one thing that came naturally to a frightened four year old girl.  
  
She screamed.  
  
******  
  
A/N: Sorry about the slight delay on this one, folks. I wanted to get it out sooner, but I had to re-write this last part a few times before I felt I got it just right. And guess what? This fic is probably going to run longer than 'Shadows and Glimpses' and have an actual Big Bad and everything. Lol.  
  
So, let me know what you think! Reviews make my muse happy and a happy muse is a productive, well-focused muse! *g* 


	4. Chapter Four

Title: Seeing the Light (4/?)  
  
Author: QueenC  
  
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.  
  
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.  
  
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.  
  
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.  
  
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!  
  
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!  
  
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  
  
******  
  
Draco and Hermione were just getting the last of their supplies together when a scream rang through the Manor. Glancing at one another, they turned to Cordelia.  
  
"Bella!" she gasped. Then, before anyone could do or say anything else, she was out the door and down the hallway. Quickly, Lucius followed. Draco glanced at his partner, and sighed in relief when he saw she was putting down the potions she'd been bottling.  
  
"Harry and Ron will wait at the rendevous point for us. Let's go," the young woman ordered. Side by side, the duo chased after Cordelia.  
  
Cordelia ran blindly up the stairs, and made a sharp turn. Tearing past the room the twins were supposed to be asleep in, she barely registered that the door was open. Then, just as she rounded one of the corridors, the screaming stopped.  
  
Pausing, she looked around, her senses on heightened alert. Somehow knowing that Lucius was behind her, she turned to face him. "What's in this wing?" she asked, her voice sounding shrill to her own ears.  
  
"Nothing that could be of any danger to her," he assured the woman. "She more than likely managed to get herself lost and became frightened. We will simply do a spell to locate her."  
  
Draco nodded, pulling out his wand. However, before he could utter the words to the spell, he heard soft giggling. Frowning, he turned his head toward one of the many paintings of his ancestors, this one being a little girl.  
  
The girl looked at him, winking. "You can't find the shadow," she said in a false whisper. Then, she turned back to her tea party, ignoring them.  
  
Draco gasped, stumbling slightly. Instantly, images from his childhood came rushing back.  
  
He'd played in this area as a small child. He could remember feeling as though something were there, watching him. He'd asked his mother about it, but she'd told him not to worry himself over such foolish things. However, he'd seen the concern and fear in her eyes.  
  
The next day his father had come home. After having a long talk with Narcissa, Lucius had told him he wasn't to play in the house anymore. They had plenty of land outside where he could run around.  
  
It took him a full month before he risked his father's wrath to chance the hallway one more time. He'd followed *something* to a doorway that led to some stairs. He'd gone down them and... He woke up three days later in his own bed, apparently suffering from a concussion.  
  
His parents never did tell him what had happened.  
  
Draco was pulled out of his memories by Cordelia's frantic voice. Looking around, he saw her standing in front of Hermione, murder flashing in her hazel eyes.  
  
"What do you mean the spell won't work!" she cried. "I thought this was what you *did*! Said spells, waved your wand, and helped people!"  
  
Lucius placed a calming hand on the Seer's shoulder. "Cordelia, try to remain calm. We will find her," he soothed. However, Draco noticed that his father's voice was shaking slightly even as he said the words.  
  
Cordelia whirled on the man. "Remain calm?! Bella is in trouble! Calm is the *last* damn thing I'm going to be!" she exclaimed.  
  
"I know where to find her," Draco said softly, his voice drowned out by Cordelia's continued rant. Clearing his throat, he tried again. "I know where to find her."  
  
"And I can't believe that you would tell me to stay calm! This place is *huge* and there's no telling where she is! And she was screaming and then she stopped! I've been saving people for a while now and believe me, when the screaming stops that is never good!" the brunette shrieked. Freezing, she replayed her own words in her mind. "Oh God," she whimpered. "My baby..."  
  
Draco sighed, shaking his head. "Bloody hell. If you would stop your hysterics, I said I think I know where to find her!" he growled.  
  
Ignoring his insult, Cordelia looked at him, tears leaking out of her eyes. "What? Where? Why didn't you say anything?" she questioned.  
  
Motioning down the hallway, he said, "There's a doorway to the right. It leads to some stairs. She's most likely down there."  
  
Lucius frowned. "Draco, there are no stairs in this wing," he stated.  
  
Draco gave his father a dark look. "There are stairs there, believe me. I found them myself when I was her age."  
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "So there are some stairs here that you didn't know about, Lucius. Big deal. Place like this, I'm surprised you can find anything," she muttered. Then, she began walking in the direction Draco had pointed to, not bothering to notice if anyone else was following her.  
  
Rounding the corner, she charged at the only open door she could see, skidding to a halt when she noticed the steep stairwell. Trying to peer into the darkness, she called, "Bella? Are you down there?"  
  
Almost instantly, a light appeared a few feet down. Then, a pair of wide ice blue eyes shone up at her.  
  
"Mommy?" came the little girl's whispered response.  
  
"Oh, thank God," Cordelia gasped. Rushing down to meet her child, she pulled her up into a tight hug. Then, setting her down, she glared at her. "What is the matter with you! I told you to come get me when you woke up, not go running around in dark places! And why did you scream like that? You scared me half to death!" she fussed.  
  
Bella lowered her gaze, blinking back tears. "Sorry, mommy. But, Korben scared me," she murmured.  
  
At that moment, Cordelia felt her son grab her arm. Turning toward him, she frowned. "You went sneaking around too? I thought you knew better, Korben! And what's the big idea, frightening your sister like that?" she admonished.  
  
The little boy shook his head, looking nervously around at the darkness. "It wasn't me, momma!" he insisted. "I saw Bella come down here and followed her. She said she heard someone calling for help, but I didn't want her getting lost in the shadows, so I grabbed her shoulder. And then she screamed."  
  
Bella scowled at her brother, apparently forgetting where they were and how much trouble they were in. "It was you who was calling for help! I heard you!" she argued. "You said 'Help me, Bella', so I did, only you were hiding, then you jumped out and grabbed me, like a big old meany-head!"  
  
Cordelia sighed, shaking her head. "Enough, you two. Let's go. Back up the stairs. We'll discuss this later. Right now you two are in some serious trouble," she ordered, gently leading them both back up the stairs, the kids arguing the entire way.  
  
Lucius watched them come out the door and head down the hallway, Cordelia continuously admonishing the children. Shaking his head, he pushed the door closed, but not before frowning at the stairs.  
  
He was *certain* there weren't any stairs in this part of the house. He'd studied every area of this house when he'd purchased it years ago. The servants chambers were in the back part of the house, although they weren't underground. In fact, the only area that was nestled under the house was the dungeons, and they were limited to the east wing.  
  
But, if that were true, then where did these stairs lead to?  
  
******  
  
The news of Peter Pettigrew's capture spread through the wizarding community like wildfire.  
  
At the Three Broomsticks, there was a full blown party being thrown, complete with the majority of the Ministry of Magic as well as quite a few familiar faces from Hogwarts. Everyone was celebrating the official end of the Dark Lord, reveling in the fact that the last surviving member of his inner circle was behind bars where he belonged. And, in the center of it all were the people responsible for one of the most spectacular captures in history, if only for its sheer simplicity.  
  
The 'Formidable Four', as people had begun dubbing them, had merely apparated to the area where Pettigrew was holed up, then gone inside and grabbed him. A simple body bind and it was over. Of course, he'd never really stood a chance, since they'd arrived while he was sleeping.  
  
The main question on everyone's mind was how they had found him. It was a well known fact that Pettigrew was better than most at evading capture due to his ability to transform himself into a rat and go places no human could go. So, how had they done it?  
  
For some reason, Harry wouldn't explain, merely chalking it up to 'hard work and a dose of good luck and divine intervention'. He'd then given Ron, Hermione, and Draco a look that clearly said for them to remain silent, as well. Which, of course, they did.  
  
Instead of talking, they mere accepted the free drinks being sent their way and joined in the festivities. Mingling with the crowd, they happily shook hands with their former proud Professors and students, as well as graciously accepted congratulations from their current employers and co- workers. All-in-all, it was a celebration that was a long time coming, and everyone seemed to be having a spectacular time.  
  
Everyone, that is, except for Draco Malfoy.  
  
Sitting in a corner booth, the young man stared into his glass of bourbon, his brow furrowed in thought. Oblivious to the excitement going on around him, he retraced Bella's disappearance from earlier.  
  
Why had he forgotten about those stairs until today? Surely the place of such a childhood trauma would be forever imbedded in his mind, not locked away only to return when faced with such a similar situation. Which brought him to his next quandary. Why couldn't he remember the accident itself? Granted, he'd suffered a concussion, but wouldn't the memory have come back with the others?  
  
More importantly, why didn't *Lucius* remember the entire incident?  
  
Draco had spoken briefly with his father after the twins had been found. Lucius had insisted that there had never been any mention of the stairs when he was young, nor had Draco ever suffered a concussion.  
  
The blonde knew it was entirely possible that his father had simply forgotten the ordeal. After all, it would have taken place immediately following Voldemort's defeat at the hands of infant Harry Potter, and Lucius Malfoy had been extremely busy trying to convince the Ministry that he had been under a spell which had caused him to follow the Dark Lord. Therefore, it was feasible that his son's obsession with shadows, an unknown stairwell, and subsequent concussion merely slipped his mind.  
  
However, Draco knew that wasn't the case. No, something strange was going on at Malfoy Manor. *Something* was there, hiding in the shadows and biding its time.  
  
And he intended to find out what it was.  
  
Suddenly, the young man was pulled from his thoughts by someone sitting across from him. Looking up from his glass, he locked eyes on Hermione Granger, who was studying him intently.  
  
Sighing, he gave her a dark look. "What?" he snapped.  
  
The brunette raised an eyebrow. "Don't snap at me," she chastised. "I was merely coming over to find out why you look so upset. It's not like I'm going to ask you to actually enjoy yourself."  
  
Draco's lips tightened into a thin line. "I am *not* upset. I'm merely enjoying my solitude. There, now you have an answer. Why don't you go back to your friends," he hissed. He knew he was being horrible to her, and that she'd done nothing to deserve it. However, he couldn't help it. Something was loose in his house and was possibly targeting two small children, his own half-brother and sister, in fact. And, if he stood any chance of figuring out a solution, he needed to be left alone, not forced to mingle.  
  
"They're your friends too, Draco," she said softly.  
  
He snorted, taking a sip of his drink. "Right. Something tells me Weasel wouldn't agree with you on that, Granger." Realizing he'd called her by her last name he paused, his eyes widening slightly. Then, he relaxed. If pissing her off was the only way to get her to leave him alone, he'd do it. He could always apologize later.  
  
Hermione got a slightly hurt look on her face, which she quickly hid with a mask of anger. "So we're back to last names, are we? Hm, *Malfoy*?" she snapped. Leaning across the table, she glared at him. "For your information, Ron just finished defending you, your father, and your entire family name to quite a few former Gryffindors, with Harry and even Ginny assisting him. Now, I know that this may come as a shock to you, but we *are* your friends. However, in order for you to return that friendship you have to stop being such a...a...prat and let us help you when you need it!"  
  
Finished with her tirade, the young woman stood up and prepared to make her way back to the party. However, before she had taken two steps, Draco's voice stopped her.  
  
"There's something evil in the Manor, Hermione," he practically whispered. Looking up, he waited until she was sitting back down before he continued. "I believe, whatever it is, that it's after the twins. Possibly just Bella, although I doubt it."  
  
Hermione frowned, her forehead wrinkling as she thought. "You mean this afternoon?" she asked in confusion.  
  
The blonde shrugged. "I'm not certain. I remember...*something* from when I was a small boy. However, when I asked my father about it, he said he didn't remember anything. Still, I'm *certain* that I was injured as a result of the...shadow."  
  
She gave him a blank look. "Shadow?" she echoed.  
  
Draco nodded. "That's what the girl in the portrait calls it. I remember her telling me when I was small that I couldn't find it. The shadow had to find me." As he repeated those eery words, he shivered slightly, his hands trembling around his glass. When he spoke again, his voice sounded almost like that of a young child's.  
  
"It must have found me. And now it's trying to get to Bella."  
  
Hermione sighed. Without thinking, she reached across the table, placing her hand over his. Squeezing gently, she gave him a small smile. "Draco, I'm certain that it's nothing. I find it extremely hard to believe that something that...evil could be living in your home for so long without *someone* besides a young child seeing it," she tried consoling him.  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow, giving her a knowing smile. "Hermione, are you forgetting who my father used to be? Part of the inner circle of the Dark Lord himself. The Manor was seeped in evil and dark magic for years. *Anything* could have been residing there, and we would scarcely have noticed."  
  
She bit her lip, weighing his words carefully. After a moment, she nodded. "Very well. Then, whatever it is, we will work together and find it. *Before* it can possibly harm either Bella or Korben," she stated matter-of- factly. Rising to her feet, she glanced around the crowded room. "Now, I just need to go round up Harry and Ron..."  
  
Draco watched with nothing short of amazement as she disappeared into the crowd, presumably searching for her two best friends. He hadn't expected her to believe him, much less offer to help him solve the mystery. And to offer Potter and Weasley's services as well? Slowly, Draco smiled, realizing that this must be what it felt like to truly have friends that would help you, no matter the risk.  
  
Now, he finally knew what it meant to belong.  
  
******  
  
A/N: Alright, I know. Not much Cordelia/Lucius action in this part. But, it is coming, I promise. I just need to get the actual PLOT moving along first. lol  
  
Sorry for how long it took to update. I just recently moved from Arizona to Minnesota, and I'm still adjusting to all of the changes. (Plus having to wait for my Internet to be connected.)  
  
So...about that review button... 


	5. Chapter Five

Title: Seeing the Light (5/?)  
  
Author: QueenC  
  
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.  
  
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.  
  
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.  
  
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.  
  
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!  
  
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!  
  
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  
  
******  
  
Cordelia stood out on the front steps of the Manor, staring up at the stars. It was amazing to her how clear the night sky was when this far from the city. Wrapping her arms around herself as a chilly breeze blew across her, she idly wondered if she should go inside and get her jacket. She assumed that it was hanging in her closet, seeing as the house elves had put all of her belongings away upon her arrival. However, before she could make up her mind about leaving her peaceful surroundings in lieu of getting warm, a cloak dropped onto her shoulders, followed by a pair of strong arms.  
  
Smiling, she turned her head, peering up into Lucius' eyes. "Thanks," she said softly, not wanting her normally loud voice to disturb the tranquil night.  
  
The man nodded, finally pulling his arms away. While it felt good, almost too good, to hold her like that, he knew they needed to talk. Moving to stand beside her, he stared into the darkness, trying to collect his thoughts. After a moment, he questioned, "I take it the children had no trouble going to sleep?"  
  
Cordelia chuckled softly. "No. Of course, it took me threatening to lock them in the room if they snuck out before they promised to stay put. And I also had to assure them that nothing was going to attack them." Looking at him, she frowned. "I didn't lie to them, did I? There's nothing in this house that could or would hurt my children for no reason, right?" she wondered.  
  
Lucius sighed heavily. "Before today, I would have been more than capable of saying yes without pause. However, given the discovery of that stairwell, not to mention Draco's sudden...memories, I am honestly not certain," he replied honestly.  
  
The young woman raised an eyebrow, pulling the cloak tighter around herself. Nodding, she peered back up at the sky. "Okay. So there's something evil in the house that seems to have a yen for kids. And, according to Bella and Korben, it's some sort of shadow creature." Shaking her head, she glanced at him. "I guess it's time to research."  
  
He gave her a blank look. "And just how do you suggest we go about that? While my collection of books concerning the Dark Arts may be rather extensive, I do not ever remember seeing something along these lines," he stated.  
  
Cordelia shrugged. "Well, that I'm not sure about. Although, I do know someone who can at least point us in the right direction. Two someone's, actually."  
  
Lucius nodded. "I'm assuming one is Wesley. Is Fred perhaps the other one?" he asked.  
  
The Seer laughed. "Definitely not. No, Fred is great when you want to open a portal to another dimension or find out something else scientific. But evil magical creatures hiding in musty old houses, *that's* Giles' specialty."  
  
The blond man frowned. "Giles? Why does that name sound familiar?" he mused quietly.  
  
Cordelia shrugged. "Beats me. He used to be Buffy's Watcher, though. I've known him since high school. And he's also living in England, so we should be able to get an answer from him sooner than Wes." Nodding, she headed back into the house, calling over her shoulder, "So, do I just need to tell the owl to find Rupert Giles or do I need an actual address?"  
  
Lucius gasped, the color draining from his face. "Rupert Giles?" he choked. "You're going to ask *Ripper* to assist us?"  
  
******  
  
Hermione shoved her way through the crowd, smiling faintly at the strangers that patted her on the back and continued to congratulate her for her part in capturing Pettigrew. Straining her neck, she sighed in relief when she noticed that Ron and Harry were still sitting at the same table, conversing happily with Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Sighing, she hated having to pull them away from the celebration, knowing that it wasn't very often that they had the chance to simply relax. However, Draco needed help, and she was determined they were going to be the ones who provided it.  
  
After all, that's what friends did.  
  
Finally, she managed to break free of the throng of people and approached the table. Biting her lip, she waited for Ron to stop talking about the latest feats of the Chudley Canons. Then, clearing her throat, she eyed her two friends.  
  
"We've got a problem," she said just loud enough for the four people at the table to hear her. The last thing they needed was someone else overhearing the new situation. If that were to happen, the Ministry would most likely want to get involved, and Cordelia and the twins would be discovered.  
  
Not that they were in hiding, or anything. However, Hermione somehow knew that Cordelia wasn't quite ready for the rest of the wizarding world to know about her exceptionally powerful children, nor were Lucius or Draco prepared for the backlash that would come with the discovery that the Malfoy line now had two 'Mudbloods' in it.  
  
Looking up, Harry's smile faded when he saw the worried look on her face. "What is it?" he asked quietly, looking around. While he couldn't sense any dark magic, nor was his scar hurting to signal a Death Eater was near, he knew Hermione. And she didn't claim a problem unless there was one.  
  
Hermione quickly took the only available seat, giving Sirius and Lupin a small smile. Then, she once more glanced back at Ron and Harry. "Remember how I mentioned there was a problem earlier. With the...guests at Malfoy Manor?" she asked, not certain if Harry had told the two remaining Marauders about Cordelia and the twins.  
  
Ron nodded and Harry smiled. "It's all right. They know about Cordelia," he assured her.  
  
Nodding, Hermione continued. "All right. Well, it seems that this same 'shadow' that Bella and Korben claimed to have come in contact with, Draco also saw when he was a child. He apparently had forgotten about it, though, and only remembered when faced with Bella's disappearance." Sighing, she shrugged. "I know that this sounds rather bizarre, and quite frankly I'm hesitant to believe anything to be amiss. However, Draco is quite adamant that the twins are possibly in danger, especially Bella."  
  
Ron groaned, shaking his head. "So, let me guess. You want us to risk our life, go searching about Malfoy Manor looking for some sort of creature that has taken an interest in an *extremely* powerful little girl, and try and save the bloody day?" he questioned. When she nodded, he sighed, looking at Harry, "You know, I can remember when the most we had to worry about was passing Potions, not getting expelled, and defeating Voldemort."  
  
Sirius laughed, looking at the Trio. "I can't believe that I'm seeing the day when the three of you are offering to help Draco Malfoy." Holding up his hand to silence their reply, he nodded. "I know, I know. You say he's changed and I believe he has. However, that doesn't change the fact that it's still shocking." As an afterthought, he added, "Although, I must admit that I'm envious. Ah, to be young again, going from one adventure to the next, without taking the time to rest."  
  
Lupin nodded, smiling. "Agreed. Although, personally, I'm rather grateful for the wisdom that comes with age, not to mention the ability to merely sit and relax without the worry of death waiting around every corner."  
  
Sirius gave his friend a grin. "Why Moony, do you mean to say that you actually *enjoy* the boredom?" he quipped.  
  
The man shook his head, taking a sip of his drink. "Not boredom, Padfoot," he corrected. "I enjoy the silence. The tranquility of it all. No, the boredom is definitely something I could do without."  
  
Harry gave his godfather a thoughtful look. "Would you like to help us?" he asked. Glancing at Lupin, he added, "Both of you?"  
  
Ron nodded, smiling. "Yeah! We could use some help, I'm sure. And it *is* going to be dealing with things that you both know about."  
  
Hermione agreed. "We could certainly use any assistance we can get. After all, we know very little about what we're going after," she added. Sirius shrugged, looking at his friend. They conversed silently for a moment, years of friendship giving them the ability to debate one another without words. Finally, they looked back at the eager Aurors.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Sirius replied. "It'll be worth it just to see Lucius Malfoy's face when he finds out were going to be staying there," he chuckled.  
  
Lupin shrugged. "All right. It isn't as if I have anything to do. With summer vacation having just started, I'm not needed back at Hogwarts for a few months."  
  
Harry smiled. "Great!" Looking at Hermione, he asked, "So where's Draco? We might as well get started."  
  
Ron laughed. "This will be great. Oi! Can I tell him that they're coming, 'Mione?" he questioned.  
  
Hermione groaned. Shaking her head, she stood up. "I'll go get him. And Ron, you had *better* behave yourself! Draco is going through quite enough right now without you adding to it," she warned, before heading back into the crowd.  
  
Sirius watched her go, a thoughtful look on his face. Turning back to his godson, he casually asked, "So, when did Hermione begin having feelings for Draco?"  
  
Ron snorted. "Right. 'Mione and Malfoy. *That's* rich," he muttered, taking a swig of his drink.  
  
Harry gave his friend a pity-filled look, before glancing at his godfather. "I'm really not sure," he replied. "I'm still trying to figure out when Draco began feeling the same way."  
  
Lupin shrugged. "Well, perhaps this...adventure will give them a chance to admit that they're in love," he suggested.  
  
Ron, realizing that the other three men weren't joking around, promptly spit his drink across the table.  
  
******  
  
Giles had just closed the book he was reading and was reaching for his bedside light when the tapping sounded at his window. Frowning, the former Watcher glanced toward his curtains, wondering who or what could be standing outside his flat, three stories off the ground, at one o'clock in the morning.  
  
Shaking his head as the tapping grew more insistent, he stood up and made his way across the room. Pulling aside the drapes, he frowned at the owl he saw sitting on his perch. Opening the window, the man stepped aside as the bird flew in and landed on his dresser.  
  
"Why, hello," Giles said softly, shutting his window and turning toward the animal. "And just who do you belong to?"  
  
The owl merely hooted softly, shaking its leg at him.  
  
Noticing the rolled up piece of parchment that was attached, Giles gently untied it. As he turned it over in his hands, he sighed deeply as his eyes landed on the Malfoy crest that was sealing the document closed.  
  
"Of course. Who else?" he asked sarcastically. "Leave it to Lucius Malfoy to wait all these years to owl me." Shaking his head, he thoughtfully added, "Although, I was the one who gave Cordelia directions to Malfoy Manor. Perhaps she's merely letting me know she arrived safely."  
  
Now curious, Giles gently broke the seal and unrolled the letter. As he read it, he felt the color drain from his face. Dropping onto his bed, he groaned slightly.  
  
So the legends were true then. After all these years, the stories he'd heard as a child were finally coming true.  
  
Standing up, he stared for a moment as the owl. "You can leave. I'm certainly not going to write a response. And I know you can't be *that* hungry or thirsty. After all, I don't live that far from your home," he said, his voice a bit sharper than he intended.  
  
Giving a squawk of indignation, the owl flew from the room. Giles shut the window behind it, watching until the animal was merely a speck in the night sky. Then, turning toward his room, he sighed. He needed to see if he could find his old wand in one of the boxes in his attic, because he was most certainly going to need it.  
  
It seemed he would now be spending his vacation at Malfoy Manor.  
  
******  
  
A/N: Again, sorry for the short part. But my muse has been acting up today and this was all she would give me. Then, after I re-read it, I decided that this was really all I had to say for this part. So, yeah. Lol.  
  
Anywho. How about hitting that review button? Let me know what you think. *g* 


	6. Chapter Six

Title: Seeing the Light (6/?)  
  
Author: QueenC  
  
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.  
  
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.  
  
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.  
  
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.  
  
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!  
  
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!  
  
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  
  
******  
  
Once Cordelia had sent the owl to find Giles, she turned to face Lucius, smiling faintly. "Okay, so now you can explain how you know Giles' alter ego," she exclaimed. "But first, let's go sit down, okay? As a single mom, I've learned that, when the kids are asleep, you take the time to relax."  
  
Lucius nodded, leading her back into the sitting room. "Would you care for something to drink?" he asked quietly, leading her to the two chairs by the fire.  
  
Cordelia gently pulled his cloak off and sat down. "Actually, a cup of tea would be great," she replied.  
  
Snapping his fingers, he watched as one of the house elves entered the room. "Two cups of tea," he said, his tone stern, though not harsh.  
  
The elf nodded. Snapping its fingers, a tray appeared with two cups and a steaming tea pot. Once the tray was placed on the table between them, the elf began bowing backwards out of the room. Cordelia watched it go, then glanced at Lucius. "That's going to take some getting used to," she commented.  
  
"House elves?" he questioned. "They aren't any different from other servants." He sat down in his chair, watching the shadows from the fire dance across her face. Snapping himself out of his thoughts, he poured her a glass of tea and handed it to her with a small smile.  
  
Cordelia laughed softly, gracefully taking a sip of the hot liquid. "That's what I mean. It's not like I've had servants to get things for me. Not since high school, in fact." Shrugging, she placed the cup down and began fiddling with the seam of his cloak. "Okay, so you were going to tell me how you knew Giles."  
  
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "You mean the man that you feel comfortable contacting for help never told you about his youth?" he asked dryly. "The Giles I remember could speak of little more than himself."  
  
The Seer shook her head. "No, he told us about Ripper. When a bit of his past showed up and started killing people. We got to meet him for a bit, too." Off his shocked look, she smiled. "There was this whole deal with some enchanted candy. Made all the adults act like teenagers. Can we just say that there should be a law on how old you have to be to wear certain clothing? Trust me, my mom in lycra pants? *Not* a pretty picture, " she shivered.  
  
He decided not to question who or what this lycra was, and instead focused on answering her original question. "Yes, well, while you may have had to deal with him for a few hours, I had the misfortune of knowing him for six long years," he stated.  
  
Cordelia's eyes widened slightly. "Really? Wow." After a second, she questioned, "How's that again?"  
  
Lucius chuckled. "Ripper and I were in the same House during my time at Hogwarts," he explained calmly.  
  
The woman nodded. "Okay, so you went to school together. I'm still not really understanding, though. I mean, from what I've been told, Ripper was all about the bad mojo. You two should have gotten along pretty well," she stated.  
  
The blonde's lips thinned for a moment as he felt the all-too familiar feel of guilt wash over him. Distantly, he could hear the screams of the people he'd hurt over the years; the pleas of Muggle mothers as he took his time torturing their children.  
  
Cordelia's frowned. "Stop it," she suddenly ordered, her sharp tone invading his thoughts.  
  
Lucius blinked, his gaze re-focusing on her. "Pardon?" he asked.  
  
The woman rolled her eyes. "You were brooding. Cut it out. We've got a lot of stuff to talk about and we don't have time for you to pull an Angel. Now, stop thinking about whatever horrible things you've done and focus."  
  
He stared at her for a moment, unable to believe what he was hearing. She wanted him to *not* feel guilt over his past? Shaking his head, he forced himself to continue his tale.  
  
"Ripper was a year below myself, although that really didn't matter. He was every bit as...ambitious as anyone else in Slytherin, sometimes more so than even myself. Upon my graduation, I truly expected to see him in the Dark Lord's fold come the following year. However, he never came. Eventually, I learned that he had not even returned to Hogwarts for his seventh year. He simply disappeared."  
  
Cordelia nodded thoughtfully. Taking another sip of her now almost cold tea, she stated, "Well, I'm guessing that's around the time when he went into training for a Watcher. But, I may be wrong. The Scooby Gang was around almost a whole year before I really joined. There's no telling how much of his past I may have missed hearing about." Shrugging, she grinned. "But, I guess we'll find out soon enough."  
  
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?" he wondered.  
  
The former May Queen shrugged. "Well, knowing Giles, he won't be able to pass up a chance to check out this shadow creature first hand. So, he'll probably be here by dinner tomorrow," she answered.  
  
Lucius resisted the urge to groan, instead merely nodding dumbly. Turning his attention to the fire, he tried to decide how he felt about seeing Ripper again. No, not Ripper, he reminded himself. Rupert. He's changed, as well. Frowning, a thought suddenly occurred to him. Looking back at Cordelia, he asked, "And just how can you be so certain that he'll know where to find you? The Manor isn't exactly in a well-known location."  
  
Cordelia grinned. "Simple. He's the one who found it for me when I had the vision," she said calmly. After a moment, she added, "Which reminds me. Professor Dumbledore and Arthur Weasley are going to be here in the morning to meet the twins."  
  
Lucius paled slightly. "Arthur is coming? Since when does the Ministry know about the children?" he demanded.  
  
The brunette raised an eyebrow. "They don't. We covered this already, remember? I lied about who the father was so they'd leave me alone..."  
  
He sighed heavily. "Cordelia, you don't understand. Arthur Weasley is the Minister of Magic. He is the person in *charge* of the Ministry," he explained.  
  
Cordelia's eyes widened slightly at this information. Swallowing, she replied, "Oh. Well *that's* not good."  
  
"No," he said dryly. "It isn't."  
  
******  
  
Draco stood on the front lawn, staring up at the Manor. The place he called home. The place he'd learned to crawl, walk, talk, and do everything else that young children did. The place he'd been taught his first spell, and flown his first broom, even caught his first snitch. The place he worked side by side with his former enemies to make the wizarding world just a little bit safer.  
  
The place that he'd give his right arm not to have to enter again.  
  
He wasn't sure why he felt this way. It could be blamed on the shadow monster *thing* that was currently living in the dark recesses of the Manor. That alone was enough to cause chills to run rampant across his spine.  
  
However, Draco didn't think that were the case. No, any fear he may have in regards to the unknown creature of evil was outweighed by this need he felt to keep Bella and Korben out of harms way.  
  
But, if that was true, then why was he finding it exceedingly difficult to enter his own home? Shaking his head, he knew the answer the moment several loud pops sounded behind him. Because he was about to take Sirius Black and Remus Lupin with him.  
  
Now, it wasn't that either of them were likely to cause any problems. No, they, along with most everyone else, truly considered both Lucius and Draco changed men. However, Draco couldn't help but be apprehensive at inviting them into his home, into his *father's* home, to stay for an undetermined amount of time. After all, he hadn't even asked Lucius how he felt about the idea.  
  
Sighing heavily, he knew he really had no choice. Hermione was right, of course, when she'd said that they could provide quite a bit of insight and help. After all, Lupin *was* one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors that Hogwarts had ever seen. And if some shadowy thing that attacked children wasn't dark, then what was?  
  
And as for Sirius...well, Draco could only imagine what he must have faced while on the run from the Ministry for so many years. And he had to be able to think quickly in a crisis to elude capture for so long. Not to mention his time spent in Azkaban, coping with the horrors the Dementors caused him to feel every moment of every day.  
  
Deciding that the safety of his new-found siblings was more important than his father's potential anger, Draco began moving across the lawn. He heard Hermione fall into step beside him, and could only imagine that Harry, Ron, and the two newest additions to the group were following.  
  
Walking up the steps to the front door, he took a calming breath. Telling himself that it was all for the children, his father's wishes be damned, he opened the door and stepped into the partially lit entrance hall.  
  
And promptly passed out.  
  
******  
  
It is a well known fact that shadows exist. They are, after all, what you see when there is only limited light. Not complete lack of light, of course, for that would be darkness. And shadows and darkness are very different creatures indeed.  
  
You see, darkness is temporary. It appears when the lights are extinguished, and disappears once the light returns. It has no true shape of form, nothing to define it as unique, for it takes on the appearance of its surroundings. It isn't real. It has no feelings. No emotions at all. It can't move, eat, breathe, or even think.  
  
It simply appears and disappears depending on the light.  
  
Shadows, on the other hand, they are not so simple. They exist all the time, and in harmony with light. For, where there is light, there is a shadow. You can see them lurking in corners, around hallways, even directly beside you. While they, too, may change shape, they are always there in one form or another. And, unlike darkness, they are very much alive.  
  
They breathe in the light that accompanies them, hiding it away until it becomes another shadow. They move from place to place with relative ease, for nothing is entirely bathed in light. They most certainly think, for how would they exist if they were incapable of creating a plan of survival? And, of course, they feel.  
  
Mostly hatred, of course. Anger and frustration at the lot they've been cast in life. Rage at the creatures that dare to extinguish them by creating more light. They watch, unable to do intervene, as their homes are destroyed by candles and lanterns, even by the sunshine beaming through an uncovered window.  
  
Then, when their emotions become too great, when the light becomes too bright and they risk extinction, then they strike out as only a shadow can.  
  
They feed.  
  
The resident shadow of Malfoy Manor is no different. For nearly two hundred years he has lived within these walls, hiding from the light that the pathetic humans shine about.  
  
His given name was Ciandelano, although he'd been dubbed 'the shadow' by the only daughter of the first family to invade his home. At first, he bid his time, watching as one by one the mortals perished, only to be replaced by new ones. And never once was he discovered by anyone other than the children.  
  
He liked children, he decided. They were the easiest to feed from. Their fears and terror were quite filling, like a five course meal. And their innocence and tears were as sweet as any wine.  
  
However, as time progressed, Ciandelano found himself growing weary of having to share what he deemed *his*. So, when this latest family had moved in, he had decided to act.  
  
Striking out at the only child to now roam the halls, he had been most disappointed when both of the child's parents had forgotten about the incident. Apparently, if humans weren't capable of understanding it, they tended to forget or rationalize it away.  
  
So, once more, he'd waited, knowing that he'd eventually get another chance. He'd hidden behind his door, safe in the knowledge that no one would find him until he wanted to be found. And finally, after two decades, he'd gotten his chance again.  
  
The little girl had simply reeked of innocence, and her horror had been magnificent. However, before he could get close enough to strike, her brother had appeared with filthy, disgusting *light* and Ciandelano had been forced away for his own safety. And if that weren't bad enough, they'd been rescued by their mother.  
  
A mother that believed her children's tale of shadow monsters.  
  
Now, he found himself in a dilemma. He could go into hiding and hope that they all forgot about the incident. Or, he could do something different. Something that, to his knowledge, had never been attempted by a shadow before.  
  
He could feed on them all.  
  
Deciding he liked that idea much better than running scared, he made his way through his home. Past the whispering paintings, past the uncovered windows and candles, past everything that was familiar and not, until finally he reached an area with voices.  
  
Floating outside a door, he watched unobserved as two adults sat in chairs near a fire, speaking quietly to one another. Knowing that he couldn't get any closer, he opted to hide in a corner of the hallway and wait for one of them to exit, which is what he was doing when the front door opened and the blonde boy from so many years before walked in.  
  
Scarcely able to believe his luck, Ciandelano had struck instantly. Looking beyond the light that now surrounded the boy's heart and soul, he quickly entered the darkness that still resided deep within.  
  
And, from there, he put his plan into action.  
  
******  
  
A/N: I am SOOOO sorry for how long it took to get this part out. My muse just decided to take a vacation without telling me, and there wasn't much I could do about it. But, she came back this evening and here's the part I've been getting email's about posting. Hopefully, it meets everyone's standards. Lol.  
  
So, I've done my part. Now it's time to do yours.  
  
See the adorable review button? Take three seconds, press it, and let me know what you thought!  
  
Thanks!  
  
*hugs* QueenC 


	7. Chapter Seven

Title: Seeing the Light (7/?)  
  
Author: QueenC  
  
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.  
  
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.  
  
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.  
  
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.  
  
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!  
  
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!  
  
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  
  
******  
  
For the second time that night, a scream rang through Malfoy Manor.  
  
Instantly, Cordelia and Lucius jumped to their feet, both rushing toward the sound. However, instead of turning left toward the room that the children were asleep in, they both stopped just inside the entrance hall. Shocked, they drank in the sight of Hermione cradling an unconscious Draco's head in her lap, worry filling her face.  
  
Quickly realizing that Hermione had been the one that screamed, Cordelia made her way to the girl. Ignoring Harry, Ron, and the two strangers, the Seer knelt down and quickly began checking the younger Malfoy for injuries.  
  
"What happened?" the former cheerleader asked quietly. Receiving no immediate answer from Hermione, she glanced quickly at the others. "Snap out of it, people. Tell me what happened!" she ordered.  
  
Blinking, Harry answered, "He opened the door and collapsed. There was no reason for it."  
  
Cordelia was aware of Lucius standing silently behind her, could practically feel the concern coming off him in waves. Part of her wanted to console him. Give him assurances that his son would be fine. However, she couldn't do that until she knew it to be a fact.  
  
Standing up straight, the woman allowed her years of experience dealing with unknown situations to take over. "We need to get him to a bed, or at least a couch. Somewhere he'll be more comfortable," she stated.  
  
Ron, who had pulled out his wand upon hearing Hermione's scream and had yet to put it away, nodded. "Mobilicorpus," he murmured.  
  
Cordelia raised an eyebrow as Draco's body rose into the air. "Wow. *That* sure would have come in handy in Sunnydale for all the times Giles got knocked out. I'm surprised that no one thought of it," she commented dryly.  
  
Hermione silently rose to her feet. "This way. We can take him to our office," she said in a whisper.  
  
Nodding, Cordelia followed the young woman, with Harry and Ron close behind. Draco's body floated after them, Ron taking special care not to let the young man drop to the floor. The redhead decided he wasn't going to figure out *why* he cared if Draco hit the ground or not.  
  
Lucius trailed behind the somber group. His mind was still numb with the shock of seeing Draco lying unconsciously on the ground. Images of Narcissa's last few moments flashed before his eyes and it took everything he had not to launch into a full-blown panic attack and start demanding answers where there clearly were none.  
  
Finally, the only people left in the entrance hall were Sirius and Remus. Neither was certain what to do, besides go with everyone else. So, with no small amount of trepidation, they went in the direction of everyone else. However, just as they reached the door to the study, Remus turned to his friend.  
  
"Did I hear her correctly? Did she say *Giles*? As in Ripper Giles?" he questioned.  
  
Sirius gave his friend a doubtful look. "Think about it, Remus. Can you picture Ripper living in America? Not to mention getting himself knocked out while hanging around someone like *her*?" he snorted. "He could barely stand to be around other Slytherins when we were in school."  
  
Remus shrugged. "People do change," he replied evenly.  
  
Sirius shook his head, grinning slightly. "Not *that* much, they don't."  
  
******  
  
Draco was afraid.  
  
Well and truly afraid.  
  
Slowly sitting up, the blonde shook his head, trying to figure out where he was. He remembered opening the front door to his house. He'd been thinking about the twins, about how important it was to keep them safe. Then, something had slammed into him, stolen his breath away, and...  
  
That's all he could remember.  
  
Looking around, he blinked his eyes a few times. However, it didn't do any good. Either he had somehow been struck blind, or it was too dark to see anything.  
  
Deciding that the safest course of action was to rely on magic. A simply 'lumos' and he would know whether or not his vision had been impaired. Unfortunately, though, when he slipped his hand inside his pocket, it came up empty.  
  
Feeling slightly panicked, Draco began patting down his robes. However, his wand wasn't anywhere on him.  
  
"Where is it?" he growled, his voice sounding strange to his own ears. It almost sounded like an echo, but without the residual effects. As if he were speaking in a large room with heavy padding on the walls.  
  
Frowning, the blonde ignored this newest bit of information. The important thing now was to find his wand. After that task was completed he would move on to the issue of where he was.  
  
However, after a few more quick searches of his clothing, Draco was still very much wandless. Which meant that he was virtually defenseless. Anyone or anything could attack him, and he'd be nearly helpless to protect himself.  
  
But, on the plus side, his surroundings were becoming lighter. Which more than likely meant that his eyes were working and adjusting to the suffocating darkness.  
  
Sitting perfectly still, he turned his head from left to right, trying to make out the shadows that were slowly forming around him. Since he didn't see anything solid enough to be walls, he had to assume that he was either in an open area (which didn't seem logical considering the total lack of light), or he was sitting directly in the center of an enormous, possibly magical, room.  
  
Opting for the second choice, Draco rose to his feet. If he was in a room, then he should simply be able to walk in a straight line until he reached a wall. Once there, he could make his way around the edge until he found a door. Or a window. He really wasn't picky at this point.  
  
Taking a calming breath and saying a quick prayer to whatever gods were watching over him, he took a step forward.  
  
Then another.  
  
And another.  
  
Finally, after he'd taken a half a dozen steps and hadn't tripped or stepped on anything other than hard ground, he relaxed slightly. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.  
  
His confidence strengthened, the blonde began moving slightly quicker. With any luck, he would find his way out of... wherever he was and be safe and sound before Potter and Weasley came rushing to the rescue.  
  
However, after nearly an hour of walking, the shadows weren't any more in focus than they had been when he'd first started. And he still couldn't see anything in front of him besides pitch black.  
  
Determined not to get discouraged so easily, Draco forced his legs to keep moving. He *had* to reach something eventually. Didn't he?  
  
Shaking his head, he knew that wasn't necessarily the case. Having grown up in the wizarding world, and as a Malfoy no less, he was more than aware of the possibilities of rooms with no walls, ceilings, or even floors.  
  
After all, it wasn't called magic for nothing.  
  
Sighing in frustration, he suddenly stopped walking. "I'm not going to do this," he said quietly.  
  
Looking around, he raised his voice until he was nearly yelling. "Do you hear me?" he cried. "I am *not* going to play this game any longer!"  
  
Falling silent, he listened for any response. However, there was nothing. Just the suffocating silence and darkness that had been surrounding him since he'd first woken up.  
  
Resisting the urge to stomp his foot, the young man yelled, "Do you have any idea who I am? I am Draco Malfoy! Now, I demand that you show yourself!"  
  
Once again, nothing.  
  
Screaming, Draco wished he had something he could throw. This was maddening; trapped in never-ending darkness, with no visible adversary and no chance for escape.  
  
Running his fingers through his hair, he spun in a full circle, his eyes quickly darting about for any signs of movement. Seeing nothing, he sighed heavily. Fine. If they wanted to play it that way, then so be it. As he had just stated, he was Draco Malfoy. He would *find* a way out of here.  
  
Turning back to what he hoped was his original destination, he froze. Eyes wide, breath in his throat, the blonde stared at what had to be the most beautiful sight in the world.  
  
A small speck of light was shimmering in the distance.  
  
All thoughts of enemies, traps, and helplessness disappeared as he stared at the tiny flicker. Then, snapping out of his shock, he began running toward it as fast as he could.  
  
As his feet pounded silently on the ground beneath him, Draco kept his eyes trained on the light. Slowly, it began to grow larger. First, as small as a pea, it was now at least as big as his fist. And, with each step he took, it continued to grow.  
  
Smiling, he let out a small laugh of happiness. Euphoria filled him as he realized that he was going to succeed. For once in his life, he was going to achieve something without anyone else's help.  
  
His legs ached and his lungs burned. But still he continued. *Nothing* was going to stop him from reaching his destination. A thousand dementors could drop in front of him and he would plow right through them without a flinch. He just *had* to get to the light.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he was close enough to touch it. However, instead of jumping directly into it, as he very much wanted to do, he stopped. Frowning, he tilted his head to the side, staring at the swirling colors of white and silver.  
  
Was it really wise for him to enter? He couldn't see through it, had no idea if what was on the other side was friend or foe. For all he knew, death could be waiting for him just beyond this doorway.  
  
Torn with indecision, Draco glanced around. The darkness was still there, as consuming as ever. Except, instead of the deafening silence that he'd grown accustomed too, now he could hear sounds. They were muffled, barely recognizable as more than whimpers and hisses. But, they were there.  
  
Shaking his head, he looked back at what he perceived as his salvation. Perhaps they were coming from the light. Taking a small step closer, he leaned in, straining his ears. However, the closer he got, the further away the sounds became.  
  
Standing up right once more, he listened carefully.  
  
"Draco!"  
  
Gasping, he spun around, peering into the darkness. That voice...it was so familiar...  
  
"Hello?" he called.  
  
For a moment, there was nothing. Then, again. "Draco!"  
  
This time, Draco recognized it. He'd heard it enough times before, even in his sleep these past two years.  
  
Hermione.  
  
She was out there, somewhere. In the darkness. Looking for him. Possibly alone, even in danger.  
  
Narrowing his eyes, Draco began walking away from the glowing escape, back to where he'd just come from. However, before he could take two steps, something charged at him.  
  
He gasped as a large mass of inky blackness slammed into his chest. Arms flailing, he watched as the creature leapt away from him moments before he was surrounded by shimmering colors.  
  
"No!" he screamed. Reaching out, he tried in vain to grab the edge of the doorway, tried to keep himself from falling. But, while he was fast, gravity was faster. Helpless, Draco plummeted completely into the light, Hermione's cries still ringing in his ears.  
  
Then, there was nothing.  
  
******  
  
"Draco," Hermione whispered once more, watching with sinking resignation as the blonde settled down against the cushions on the couch. Just moments before, he'd been thrashing about, his eyelids fluttering and moans passing through his parted lips.  
  
Still holding his hand, the young woman raised her head to look at the other people in the room. "There must be *something* we can do!" she exclaimed. Settling her gaze on Cordelia, she demanded, "You! Help him! You can, I know it."  
  
Cordelia shook her head, giving the girl an apologetic look. "It doesn't work that way, Hermione. My powers...I don't have any control over them," she said gently.  
  
Hermione's eyes narrowed. "You were able to help Lucius!" she practically screamed. "You reversed the curse placed on him by Voldemort without even trying! Why won't you help Draco?"  
  
Cordelia flinched slightly, opening her mouth then closing it again. What could she say? She had no idea how she had helped Lucius regain his memory. She still didn't even know how to make herself levitate on command.  
  
Suddenly, Lucius' hand slipped into hers, squeezing gently. Looking at Hermione, he calmly said, "Cordelia isn't to blame for this, Hermione. If she could help my son I have no doubt she would."  
  
Hermione scowled at the both of them for a moment, her breathing coming in harsh gasps. However, before she could reply, Harry softly spoke.  
  
"We should probably send for a mediwitch. We need to know what's going on and that seems the best way to go about it," he commented.  
  
Ron nodded. "I'll take care of it," he murmured, anxious to leave the room. Turning on his heel, he quickly exited, shutting the door behind him.  
  
Hermione watched him go, before glancing once more at Cordelia. "Why didn't you warn us?" she asked in a deceptively quite tone. Logically, she knew that this woman wasn't to blame with whatever was wrong with Draco. However, she needed to be angry with *someone*, and the newcomer seemed the best candidate for the job.  
  
Cordelia blinked, tearing her gaze from Draco's pale face back to the angry eyes of the younger woman. "Excuse me?" she snapped, her anger getting the better of her.  
  
Hermione gave her a hard look. Ignoring Harry's whispered plea to stop, or the looks of shock being sent her way by Sirius and Remus, she repeated harshly, "Why didn't you warn us? You're supposed to have the Sight. You're supposed to know about things like this! Or did you make all of that up just so you could find a way to bring your children here?"  
  
Lucius narrowed his eyes, his entire body stiffening with anger. His son was lying unconscious on the couch, his other children were possibly being targeted by some unknown force, and this little witch was *daring* to insult the woman he loved? Opening his mouth, he was ready to throw her out, along with her rag-tag group of friends. However, Cordelia reacted first.  
  
Stepping away from the livid man beside her, Cordelia glared menacingly at Hermione. "Okay, I'm going to ignore that pathetic attempt at an insult considering that the man you love is currently in danger and you're obviously worried about him. But, we're going to get a few things straight right here and now," she began.  
  
"First of all, I'm a Seer. That means that I *see* things. Things that the PTB want me to. I don't call them up and ask them questions, I don't know everything before it happens, and I don't second guess what they show me and what they don't. I just receive my visions like a good little helper and pass them on to my Champion," she stated. Barely pausing for a breath, Cordelia continued.  
  
"Now, I don't know much about you, and frankly I don't *care*, but there's something you need to know about me." Here, the woman's voice dropped to a deadly tone. "I'm not someone to mess with. I've seen things and done things that would scare the frizz right out of your desperately-in-need-of- a-good-moisturizing-hair. I'm nasty, I'm rude, and I used to eat girls like you for breakfast. So, unless you want to find out *exactly* why I was called 'Queen C' for the majority of my teenage years, I strongly suggest that you *never* question my honesty, mock my visions, or bring my children into an argument. Because, let me let you in on a little secret...."  
  
Hermione flinched as Cordelia leaned closer and whispered, "Your magic doesn't work on me."  
  
Standing back up, the Seer donned a bright smile. "Okay!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "So, now that *that's* out of the way, what do you say to some good, old fashioned research? At least, until the medi- what's-it gets here." Then, not waiting for an answer, she turned on her heel and exited the room, presumably heading for the library.  
  
For a moment, no one moved, spoke, or scarcely breathed. Everyone was too shocked at what had just happened. Finally, though, Sirius turned to Remus, a slight smirk on his face.  
  
"I take it back," the man whispered. "That is *precisely* the type of girl that Ripper would hang about."  
  
******  
  
A/N: Yes, yes, I know. Not much Cordelia/Lucius action in this part. But, what can I say? Sometimes I have to make certain sacrifices in order to further the plot along. Lol.  
  
Anywho. Things are about to get much more interesting, not to mention confusing (for the characters, not us). Hang in there, I promise more Cordelia/Lucius bonding soon!  
  
QueenC  
  
P. S. Gimme an R! Gimme an E! Gimme an V! I! E! W! What's that spell? (Well, you should know since you're READING the fic and all...)  
  
REVIEW!!!  
  
So, why not do what it says?  
  
Reviews...they only take a minute and they last a lifetime. *g* 


	8. Chapter Eight

Title: Seeing the Light (8/?)  
  
Author: QueenC  
  
Feedback:  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.  
  
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.  
  
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.  
  
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.  
  
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!  
  
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!  
  
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  
  
******  
  
She was angry.  
  
She was shaking. She, Cordelia Chase, was actually *shaking* with anger.  
  
Standing in the Malfoy library, which she'd only found courtesy of a house elf, the young woman was positively livid. How *dare* Hermione say those things to her. How dare she accuse her of lying about her visions, or deliberately hurting Draco. How dare she!  
  
Okay, so maybe she and Draco hadn't exactly been on the best of terms. But, that didn't mean she would keep quiet if she'd had a vision about him. She had changed since high school and was no longer that shallow, right?  
  
And, so what if she'd been just a bit *too* happy when her children had begun showing signs of being magical? She would have still sought out Lucius if they had been 'normal', wouldn't she?  
  
Sighing, Cordelia couldn't honestly answer either question with a yes.  
  
The truth of the matter was, she had serious issues with Draco Malfoy. He had tried to hex her the first time they'd met, and had done virtually nothing since then to show he was anything more than a spoiled brat. He obviously resented her, very likely resented her kids, and was probably willing to do just about anything to keep his father all to himself.  
  
And, as for her children...while she hadn't been hoping they would turn out to be a wizard and a witch, she had certainly been relieved when they were.  
  
The fact of the matter was, the wizarding world was in some ways very much like the medieval times. If you didn't have power, you had virtually no place in this world. Which had meant if the only thing her children had inherited from their father was their eyes, they would have most certainly been outcasts. And she wouldn't wish *that* on them for all the shoes at Nieman Marcus.  
  
Now, Cordelia didn't think there was anything wrong with wanting your children to fit in. Nor did she believe she was a bad person for dragging them halfway across the world to meet a man they'd never known in the hopes that he could teach them control. After all, it had been that mixed with a vision from the PTB that had finally sent her packing.  
  
However, there was one thing that was bugging her. One little bit of information that she really didn't even want to admit to herself, much less to anyone else.  
  
She had lied about who the visions were for.  
  
Shaking her head, the young woman forced that thought away. She'd done the right thing, fudging the truth a bit. Silently, she reminded herself that none of these people were like Angel. They couldn't leap across buildings, or take out an entire nest of vamps with only a stake, two fists, and a couple of snapping remarks. They lacked heightened senses that would enable them to follow a microscopic trail of blood for miles, and they wouldn't know an Apocalypse if they'd helped create it themselves.  
  
They were just a group of kids, no... *young adults*, who waved around tiny sticks and said stuff in Latin. Granted, they were brave. And, they worked well together. But, if you took away their wand and their friends, Cordelia was willing to bet that none of them would or could survive an honest to God battle for their lives. And, besides Draco, what could they possibly need to atone for?  
  
Lucius, on the other hand, was a completely different story. She'd seen first-hand how brave he was capable of being without his wand, any knowledge of magic, or anyone assisting him. Granted, he had a dark past. However, he felt guilty, and wanted to make amends.  
  
And that alone was the reason that she had claimed him to be one of her new Champions.  
  
Pulling a few books off the shelf, the brunette made her way to one of the overstuffed chairs by the fireplace. Curling up in it, she placed her pile on the floor. Picking up the top book in her selection, she sternly told her brain to stop thinking so much.  
  
She could focus on her guilt later. Right now, she had to find out what this shadowy thing was that had attacked Bella. Something told her that it was more than a coincidence that Draco, the only other person besides her children that was known to have come in contact with the thing, was now lying unconscious down the hall.  
  
Her mind now back on the task at hand, she began skimming through the pages, hoping to find something that would catch her eye. After a few minutes, though, she was interrupted.  
  
"My dear, you never cease to amaze me. Didn't I tell you not two hours ago that I had no books that contained the knowledge which we seek?"  
  
Cordelia shrugged, glancing up at the man that had entered the room. Giving him a small smile, she replied, "Yeah, well, you *are* human. And humans are known to make mistakes once in a while." Sighing, she added, "And besides, this is definitely better than sitting around feeling helpless and being accused of withholding information."  
  
Lucius nodded, dropping into the chair beside her. Glancing at the book in her lap, then the others that were at her feet, he quietly said, "I apologize for Ms. Granger's comments. She tends to become rather...emotional at times of great stress."  
  
Cordelia laughed softly, turning her attention back to the passage she'd been reading. "That's probably one of the reasons that Draco is in love with her," she commented.  
  
The blonde smiled. "I wasn't aware that you'd spent enough time around my son to realize the full extent of his feelings for her. I've only just noticed it recently," he stated softly.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. It was obvious to me five years ago. The way they worked together while attacking me in my apartment?" Suddenly, she stopped, a pained expression crossing her face. "Sorry," she whispered.  
  
Lucius frowned. "Why?" he wondered in confusion.  
  
Cordelia sighed heavily, raising her eyes to his. "I guess I just figured you didn't want to talk about that. I mean, it *was* pretty intense. Not to mention awkward and painful," she explained.  
  
Lucius shook his head. Reaching across the small distance between them, he gently took her hand in his. Staring into her hazel eyes, he gave her a genuine smile.  
  
"Cordelia, the only regret I have about our time together was that it was far too short," he stated softly. "Every day I questioned my decision to return here rather than stay with you."  
  
She raised an eyebrow, giving him a hard look. "Really? Funny, I guess I couldn't tell what with you not bothering to contact me and all," she snapped, pulling her hand from his. All of the anger and pain she'd kept bottled inside of her for the past five years was bubbling to the surface, and she knew she was far too emotionally drained right now to bite her tongue.  
  
Lucius' eyes widened slightly at the hostility. Silently, he observed her, wondering what he could say. Finally, he managed a weak, "Considering the way with which we parted, I had assumed you didn't wish to hear from me. However, had I known that you felt this way, I assure you. I would have made *every* effort to have you in my life."  
  
Cordelia blinked, her anger deflating at his confession. "Really?" she asked quietly, her voice sounding almost like a frightened child's. Seeing his nod, she bit her lip, fighting back tears. "Oh. Well, in that case..." The man shook his head, once more gently grasping her hand. "I am not accustomed to this, my dear. My wife and I..." Trailing off, he felt a wave of pain at the thought of Narcissa. Forcing it away, he continued. "We were scarcely the type to discuss our feelings. In our circle, it simply isn't done. Emotions such as love and tenderness are viewed as weaknesses."  
  
Cordelia nodded. "I get it. Really, I do. I guess I just thought that, since you'd obviously changed..." Shaking her head, she sighed heavily. "Nevermind. Look, the point is, it's all in the past. I'm here now, and I'm *not* going anywhere," she stated.  
  
Then, swiping her other hand at her eyes, she groaned, "God, look at me. Manic-depressive Cordy at your service."  
  
Lucius couldn't help but chuckle. "Nonsense," he assured her quietly. Then, sighing heavily, he grudgingly released her hand and stood up. "I should check on Draco's status."  
  
Cordelia gave him a small smile. "Sure thing. I'm just going to sit here and see if there's anything in these books." Watching as he raised his eyebrow, she shrugged. "Hey, if you *are* right and there's nothing here, then at least I get to have some colorful reading," she stated.  
  
Holding up the book, she pointed to a page. "See? 'Fifty common curses to obtain revenge on your enemy'. They've even got pictures." Then, she suddenly froze, her eyes widening. "Oh God," she whispered. "Look at me. I've turned into *Willow*!"  
  
Before he could ask what she meant, there was a knock at the door. Turning, Lucius stared at Ron, who was looking quite embarrassed to be interrupting the conversation.  
  
"Sorry to bother you, but I thought you should know that someone is at the front door," he said quietly.  
  
Lucius frowned slightly. "Why were you answering the door?" he questioned.  
  
The redhead shrugged. "I wasn't. I was waiting for the mediwitch and this bloke just came walking up. He...er...he said that you're expecting him. I tried to tell him you were busy, but he said he didn't care..."  
  
Cordelia raised an eyebrow, rising from her seat. "Wow. I want to meet the person who had enough guts to tell *you* to stuff it," she commented, brushing past both men and exiting the room.  
  
Then, she stopped in the middle of the hallway, gasping softly at the person that was standing there.  
  
Giles gave the woman a faint smile, placing his bag on the floor. "It's a pleasure to see you as well, Cordelia. I trust from your lack of hysterics that Bella and Korben are well?" he asked.  
  
Cordelia grinned, enveloping him in a tight hug. "Yeah, they're fine. Oh, I *missed* you," she murmured. Taking a step back, she gave him a once over. "And, you sure got here awfully fast. What happened to the whole 'research from a distance first, rush into danger later' theory?"  
  
Giles shrugged slightly. "Yes, well, I decided that there was no reason not to research at the same place that the incident had occurred," he replied. Then, glancing past Cordelia, he locked eyes with his former classmate. "Provided, of course, that I'm welcomed."  
  
Lucius gave Giles an unreadable expression, trying to ignore the slight jealousy he felt at the casual way the other man and Cordelia interacted. Finally, he tipped his head slightly. "Of course. It's good to see you again, old friend," he stated calmly.  
  
Giles returned the nod. "Likewise, Lucius." However, before he could say anything more, a voice interrupted.  
  
"Excuse me, but I believe someone called for a mediwitch?"  
  
For a moment, no one said anything to the slight redhead that was standing just inside the door. Cordelia was taken aback at how much the girl reminded her of Willow, Giles was busy trying to figure out why she looked so familiar, and Lucius was just shocked.  
  
Finally, Ron stepped around the flabbergasted blonde, giving the young woman a grim smile. "Hey, Gin. Draco's in there. It doesn't look good," he commented, motioning to the closed door down the hallway.  
  
Ginny nodded. Giving the man and woman she didn't know small smiles and nodding once at Lucius, she walked past them and disappeared into the room, Ron following in her wake.  
  
Once the door was shut once more, Giles glanced at a stricken Lucius. "I'm assuming she is Arthur and Molly's. And, what's this about Draco being in bad shape?" he wondered.  
  
Lucius shook his head to force his thoughts away from the memories of Tom Riddle's diary. "Yes, she is the youngest of the Weasley children. And, we aren't quite certain *what* is wrong with my son. Which is the reason that we summoned a mediwitch," he explained. Turning toward the door to the study, he added, "Although, why *she* was the one who responded I don't quite understand."  
  
Cordelia frowned, watching as Lucius disappeared inside the room. Sighing, she looked at Giles. "Well, *that* wasn't weird or anything," she commented. Shaking her head, she continued, "You know, you'd think that, with all the visions I get about total stranger's lives, the PTB would see fit to send me one about the stuff going on around me once in a while."  
  
Giles nodded. "Yes, well. Be that as it may, I believe we have more important things to worry about right now than the habits and reasoning of the Powers That Be."  
  
Picking up his bag once again, he fixed her with a serious look. "In the letter you sent, I believe you mentioned something about a shadow?"  
  
******  
  
A/N: Yes, I know. Short part. Sorry about that. But, this seemed like the best place to end it for now, considering the next part kind of all links together. *g*  
  
So...I've done my part..how about doing yours and feeding my muse?  
  
QueenC 


End file.
